While scholars contacted by El Comerico said they suspected the geoglyphs were created during the transition period between the Paracas and Nazca cultures, archaeologists still need to confirm the origin of the designs.

“Though their purpose is not definitively known, [the designs] clearly served a ceremonial purpose, and were continually used and recreated over several centuries, perhaps to honor sacred mountains and sources of water,” Ranney said in a recent interview with the art blog PetaPixel. “It was previously thought they were astronomically and calendrically aligned, which could be true in some cases, but now that idea is not widely accepted.”

No matter what their function was, the lines continue to capture the imagination of archaeologists. As the UNESCO website puts it, “The Nazca lines and geoglyphs form a unique and magnificent artistic achievement that is unrivaled in its dimensions and diversity anywhere in the prehistoric world.”